Goodwin (University) swimming pool sexism

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

I'm a feminist, and believe that women should have equal rights to women. All the feminists I know also think that the reverse should be true.

Er, either that's a joke; or your lack of proof-reading inadvertently makes it so.

[Cyclone 10]

Not sure I agree. Even if its a relatively small number of women who are not comfortable to swim in a session where men are there it'll still be a significantly larger number than men who won't swim with women.

But if it's a small number of women, and they are turning away more men than those women, then it is not an economically driven decision.

 

If this group simply wouldn't swim or would swim elsewhere if this session doesn't exist then from a commercial viewpoint it should be possible to fill an otherwise quiet time and so by not running the session they wouldn't make as much money.

It would depend on the exact numbers wouldn't it, but back in 2005 I assume the pool was running a womens only session when I wanted to go and swim and couldn't. I expect that this happens to more men than just me. The question is, how many.

 

But then its just speculation. Women only sessions aren't a new thing.

Neither is this a new thread.

[Norseman 10]

I was looking at the timetable for the Shef Uni swimming pool at the Goodwin sports centre the other day.

I notice that it has 1 hr set aside for womens only swimming.

 

So i've emailed them to ask when the 1 hr for mens only swimming will be.

 

So far i've had no reply, it will be 1 week tomorrow since I sent the email.

 

Am i likely to ever receive a reply?

 

Firstly I used to work there many years ago and it took about 2 years of complaining by the menfolk (staff and students) for the management to listen. So what did they do? the management gave the men a 1 hour slot between 4pm and 5pm on a Saturday afternoon which was fine EXCEPT during term there were frequent swimming and water polo matches on Saturday afternoons hence they were cancelled a lot. The sessions were popular and in the terms of sexisim if sessions are available to women they should do equally for men too.

 

Fortunately the management has all but gone from when I was there however you'll be lucky to get a response on that.

 

---------- Post added 08-01-2013 at 21:25 ----------

 

Doubt it. Try asking the Students' Union when the Men's Safety Minibus will arrive to take you home at night - we're discriminated against in that way too.

 

That my friend has been a sore point for at least 15 years and still there is no mens mini bus but remember they do not discriminate against anyone!

 

---------- Post added 08-01-2013 at 21:32 ----------

 

I've been to the women's only before (there was a time when women and men's only were free). It was quite busy (being free might have been something to do with it though). They only had women working and closed the viewing gallery.

 

Consider that some women are not allowed to show there body to men for religious reasons and some just don't want to - I think it is fairly popular at any time.

 

That is not strictly true, the first bit, if there was an emergency the male lifeguards would carry out their duties and enter the poolside during the session. This was the understanding. Female LG's would cover the pool for the hour however I think I only had to enter the once to deal with an issue.

 

On the second point, Islamic women above puberty cannot show their bodies in public and they tend to wear all in one swim suits so they can utilise facilities such as a swimming pool for these sessions.

 

---------- Post added 08-01-2013 at 21:35 ----------

 

the mens only swim session used to be on wed night 9-10. It had been going on for years and when the uni updated the goodwin centre they continued the session. didnt know it had ended. Heres another one for you; it used to be free!

 

Wednesday evening 9-10pm was adult swimming lessons, the mens swimming sessions was on Saturday afternoons 4-5pm upto when they closed for the refurb about 12 years back

 

---------- Post added 08-01-2013 at 21:45 ----------

 

This swimming session doesn't bother me and I am pretty sure it doesn't bother you either. If it does, get yourself down Goodwin swimming pool and spark up some interest in getting a man's session going. (It won't catch on though - nobody is bothered)

 

It used to be very popular when I worked there to the extent there were queues of blokes waiting to get in